1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to assembly devices for trophies. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fixture that holds a trophy during assembly so that the nut holding the trophy together can be tightened from underneath the trophy.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The awarding of a trophy is a way to reward those who have won special recognition in a competitive event. Many amateur athletes who excel in some competitive event are awarded trophies. Nearly every high school, college, bowling alley and locker room will have the familiar case with an assortment of trophies displayed therein. Trophies range in style from simple figurines mounted on a base to large sophisticated pieces mounted on columns supported by a base.
The assembly of trophies in the past has generally been done by hand. The various components are aligned, usually by inserting a rod protruding from the mounted piece into a hole passing through the lower components, and then securing the assembly together by adding and tightening a nut onto a threaded portion on the bottom on the rod. This operation has generally been done by the assembler holding the entire assembly while simultaneously tightening the nut. From time to time the pieces slip from their proper position during the assembly process, and the work must be started anew. Consequently, there has been a need felt for a more efficient way to hold trophies during assembly and simplify the process for the assembler.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,317 issued to Zerbe describes an apparatus for assembling the components of a trophy. The apparatus includes a socket for engaging a nut employed to connect the components, a bidirectional motor coupled to the socket, a clutch mechanism coupling the bidirectional motor to the socket, a spring retained between the motor and the socket to allow axial movement of the socket relative to the motor, and a bracket for adjustably mounting the motor, clutch mechanism, and spring beneath a work surface for supporting the components of the trophy. The socket is biased upward by the spring so that it projects above the working surface. The motor is operable in a first direction to tighten the nut and in a second direction to loosen the nut. The clutch mechanism provides a torque-limited connection between the motor and the socket in the first direction to prevent excessive tightening of the nut and a positive connection in the second direction to loosen the nut.
The present invention provides a much simplified alternative to that presented in the prior art. The present invention is designed to be mounted on virtually any surface such as a work table. Many of these fixtures according to the invention could be installed on work tables so that many workers can assemble trophies simultaneously. The cantilever flange design allows the assembler to reach beneath the trophy and tighten the nut on the bottom of the trophy because the area beneath the cantilever flange is open. The key advantage of the present invention is that the area beneath the cantilever flange is located above the surface the fixture according to the invention is mounted on. In contrast, the design of the invention in the fixture of U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,317 requires that the nut on the bottom of the trophy be tightened beneath the working surface. One could not reach beneath the surface and manually tighten the nut. In fact, an electric motor operated by a foot pedal is provided for this purpose. This has several disadvantages that the present invention overcomes. The present invention allows the assembler to use any tool to tighten the nut or other fastener that may be used. The prior art device is limited to the sockets that cooperate with the output shaft of the motor. The prior art device is also considerably more complex in design and cost. The present invention provides a solution where many of such devices could be purchased at considerably less cost than even a single device of the ""317 patent.
It is an object of the invention to provide a fixture for assembling trophies.
It is another object of the invention to provide a fixture for assembling trophies by hand.
A further object of the invention to provide a fixture for assembling trophies where a socket wrench or other tightening tool can be used to tighten the trophy in the area just beneath the trophy but above the surface the fixture is mounted on.
It is another object of the invention to provide a cantilever style flange where a trophy may be set during assembly.
Yet an additional object of the invention is to provide a collar of the cantilever style for receiving the bottom of the trophy and holding it there during assembly.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a base on the fixture for mounting the fixture to a working surface such as a work bench or table.
The foregoing and other objects of the invention are achieved by means of a trophy assembly fixture having a cantilever flange where a trophy may be rested during the assembly process. A collar seated on the flange receives the cavity commonly formed in the lower surface of the trophy base. An aperture in the flange and collar allow the insertion of a tool such as a socket wrench to access the assembly nut. The assembly nut is threaded onto the free end of a rod that protrudes through the lower components of the trophy from the mounting piece to hold the trophy together.